stanton



March 22, 1955 w, p, STANTON, Er AL 2,704,628

FOLDING AND CRIMPING MECHANISM FOR SEALING CONTAINERS 5 She ets-Sheet 1 Filed June 6, 1949 INVENTORS WILLIAM R STANTON JR.

ATTORNEY March 1955 w. P. STANTON, JR. ET Al- 2,704,628

FOLDING AND CRIMPING MECHANISM FOR SEALING CONTAINERS Filed June 6, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WILLIAM F? STANTON JR CHARLES W. TINKHAM ATTORNEY March 22, 1955 w. N N, JR., ETAL 2,704,628

. FOLDING AND CRIMPING MECHANISM FOR SEALING (:IONTAINERS Filed June 6, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS WILLIAM NTON BY CHARLES KHAM ATTORNEY March 22, 1955 w, p, STANTON, JR ETAL 2,704,628

FOLDING AND CRIMPING MECHANISM FOR SEALING CONTAINERS Filed June 6, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR WILLIAM P. 5 NT JR.

HARLES W. KH

ATTORNEY March 22, 1955 w. STANTON, JR, ETAL. 2,704,628

FOLDING AND CRIMPING MECHANISM FOR SEALING CONTAINERS Filed June 6, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS WILLIAM F. STANTON IR. CHARLES W. TINKHAM Q N W ATTORNEY United States Patent FOLDING AND CRIMPING MECHANISM FOR SEALING CONTAINERS William P. Stanton, Jr., Essex, and Charles W. Tinkham, Baltimore, Md., assignors to Jacques Brass Specialties Company, Inc., Baltimore, Md., a corporation of Maryland Application June 6, 1949, Serial No. 97,492

1 Claim. (Cl. 226-86) Our invention relates to a folding and crimping mechanism for sealing containers.

In the past, many closures, boxes or containers have been made, and successfully used. Many of these containers are made of a paper pulp stock which may have been treated with a liquid-proof facing.

in recent years, a great demand has arisen for containers adapted for use in conjunction with foodstuffs to be frozen for future thawing and subsequent use. Also there are many other uses for boxes or containers for the temporary storage of foodstuffs either hot or cold, and/or solid or liquid. Such use'is very desirable for the wellknown curb service, and for room service in hotels.

It has been found that containers made of a thin metal foil serve admirably for any, and all of the foregoing services, as well as many others. It has been ascertained that a thin metal foil, such as aluminum foil can be beneficially used.

Satisfactory boxes (the bottom part thereof) have been successfully made in the past, but, because of the relative frailty of the box, it has been difficult or impossible to provide a tight-fitting and liquid-proof top therefor.

A purpose of our invention is to provide a mechanism by the use of which a thin metal foil top or cover may be sealed onto a thin metal foil container.

An object of our invention is to provide a press and folding or crimping mechanism whereby a top may be pressed and rolled over and upon a container body.

A further object is to provide mechanism whereby a top may be placed on a closure and folded over thereon, effecting a seal.

A further object is to provide a closure securing mechanism adapted to fold and secure a top or cover upon a bottom or container.

A still further object is to provide mechanism whereby a top having a plurality of straight edges may be sealed upon a bottom or container having an equal plurality of straight sides or edges.

In the figures:

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation showing the crimping rolls fully retracted;

Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation showing the crimping rolls in position to crimp the edges of the side walls and cover (in dotted lines after crimping has been effected);

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross-section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section show ing a crimping or folding roller in an open position;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section showing the crimping or folding roller in a closed position;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view in side elevation of the crimping or folding roller;

Fig. 8 is a front elevation partly in cross-section disclosing a modified form of the device having a roller for crimping or folding corners;

Fig. 9 is a horizontal cross-section taken on the line 99 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a partly broken away, enlarged vertical cross-section on the line 10-10 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a horizontal cross-section on the line 11-11 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged perspective view of a corner crimping or folding roller;

Fig. 13 is a perspective view partly broken away, showing the cover crirnped upon a container;

Fig. 14 is a perspective view partly broken away, showing a slightly modified form of box and cover with the crimped and sealed portion having a wavy edge; and

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary perspective view showing anoher modified form having a wavy, knurled or striated e ge.

An arm 1 extends horizontally from suitable supporting means adapted to support a conventional press mechanism (not shown). The arm 1 is provided with a vertically aligned sleeve 2 through which the rod or column 10 is adapted to slide. The rod or column 10 is of larger diameter at the point where it passes through the sleeve 2, and is provided with screw threads on the end thereof and onto which a screw-threaded knurled stop nut 3 is attached. The stop nut 3 may be adjusted to limit the downward thrust of the rod or column 10.

By actuating the press mechanism, the walking beam 4 is rocked on its linkage, carrying with it the yoke 5 pivotally secured to the collar 30. As the yoke 5 is forced downwardly, the collar 30 is forced downwardly and the head 12 is also urged downwardly by the compression of the spring 32. The downward motion of the yoke 5, the head 12, and the supporting column 10 is limited by the engagement of the lock nut 3 with the top of the sleeve 2.

When the head 12 has advanced to its limit, a further pressing action of the walking beam 4 will advance the collar 30 against the resistance of the spring 32 and will cause an advance of the links'28 and 52 which will be explained more fully hereinafter. The column 10 is suitably splined, as at 6, so that the column 10 and its associated mechanism cannot turn relative to the sleeve 2 and the supporting arm 1.

Thus the vertically positioned rod or column 10, to which a fiat and preshaped head 12 is secured, is adapted to be urged downwardly to a predetermined point by a conventional press mechanism (not shown). The head 12 is formed to be in the identical shape (horizontally) of the horizontal surface of the box and cover, and will be forced downwardly by a press mechanism and the rod 10, until it has assumed the position in which it is shown in Figs. 2, S and 8.

A roller housing 14 is integrally cast with reinforcing and strengthening ribs 18, and is secured to the head 12 by conventional bolts 16. The. roller housing 14 is properly secured on the head 12 so that the crimping rollers 20 will be properly positioned to effect a rolling and/or crimping of a box top onto a box.

The crimping rollers 20 are provided with a channel 22, routed longitudinally thereof, :and which are provided with an edge 24. The routed channel 22 is slighfiy apart from the axial center of the crimping roller 20, as shown clearly in the cross-sectional figures. Although it is not shown, the channel 22 may be placed in any position, including the axial center of the roller 20. Also the channel 22 may be provided with an edge having any desired undulations, the undulations being com plementary to undulations formed on the edge 54 on the head 12. It will be understood that the channel 22, in any event, will be parallel to the axial center of the roller 20. Or the surface of the'rollers may be perfectly smooth, in which event the edge 54 of the head 12 will be smooth also.

The rollers 20 are provided with arms 26 extending transversely therefrom, and to the ends of the arms 26 remote from the roller 20, we provide links 28, which are pivotally secured thereto and are connected pivotally to the collar 30, slideably positioned around the rod or column 10. The collar 30 will be suitably secured to a conventional press mechanism (not shown) so that at a desired moment, it may be forced downwardly against the tension of the spring 32, inclosing the rod or column 10,and bearing against the head 12, and the collar 30. At the time that the collar 30 is depressed, the links 28 will be depressed, consequently the rollers 20 will be rotated by the arms 26 being also depressed. By this depressing action, and the revolving of the rollers 20, the edge 24 of the routed channel 22 will engage the closure or container cap 33 which has been positioned over the side elements of the closure or box 34. As is clearly disclosed, more particularly in Figs. 5 and 6, the top 33 will be engaged by the edge 24, and will be pulled tightly against the edge 34 of the box or container, to be rolled and/or folded therewith into the position in which it is shown in Fig. 6.

When pressure is released from the collar 30, the spring 32 will raise the same, carrying with it links 28, so that the rollers 20 will resume their original position. As the rollers 20 resume their original position, the lip or edge 24 will be removed from contact with the top 33, and as the same is removed, the rubber tips 36 will frictionally engage the rolled-over edge of the top 33, pulling it downwardly and away from the head 12.

In the modified form of the crimper, as more particularly disclosed in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, we have shown mechanism for properly crimping or securing together a top and corners of the box or closure. This mechanism is substantially identical with the mechanism described above, and consists of a horizontally secured roller supporting housing 40, suitably bolted to the head 12 by conventional bolts 42. The bolts 42 hold the roller supporting housing 40 in position to extend outwardly over the corners of the head 12. Within the roller supporting housing 40, special rollers 44 are provided, the same having routed angularly shaped channels 46 which are provided with arms 50 extending outwardly therefrom, and hingedly secured to the collar 30 by means of suitable links 52.

It will be obvious that the head 12 is cut at an angle to horizontal along the edges thereof, and that rollers 20 and 44, are likewise cut approximately segmentally (as viewed axially in Figs. 3, 5, 6, 8 and in order to provide clearance whereby the housings 14 and 40, carrying the rollers and 44 may be properly lowered into position over the container on which a top or cover has been placed. Thus when the collar is depressed, the rollers 20 and 44 will be partially rotated, and their edges 24 and 48 will fold the container top 33 around the upstanding sides 34 of the container, sealing the same into position. By reason of the fact that the edges of the head 12 are slightly curved on their underside, as shown at 54, the top 33 and the sides 34 will be rolled over one upon the other. While it is not essential, we have found that it often is desirable to apply a sealing medium to the box edges or the edges of the top before rolling the same together.

It will be noted that the ends of the rollers 20 are bevelled so that they may lie in planes parallel to the planes of the edges of the box being covered. While we have disclosed a rectangular box or container, it will be understood that any form of box or container may properly be covered and sealed, providing the box or container is any shape other than circular in horizontal cross-section, namely, any triangular or polygonal box or container may be properly covered and sealed.

Throughout the specification, reference has been made to securing a top onto a container. It will be understood that a sealed container may be effected by the addition of a bottom, a side, or any other suitable surface covering an opening.

4 Operation While we have not shown the operation mechanism in full, it will be understood that our container topfolding and crimping mechanism will be secured to, and operated by a conventional press mechanism.

A preformed box having sides 34 will be properly filled with desired contents, a cap or top 33 will be positioned thereon, and the two will be placed approximately under the head 12. When in this position, the press mechanism will be motivated, forcing the head 12 downwardly over the box 34 and the cap or top 33. The head will just touch the cap 33 and will not exert any pressure thereon, its motion being restricted by the nut 3 on the shaft 10.

When the box, the cap and the head are thus positioned, the continuing motion of the walking beam 4 advances the collar 30, collapses spring 32, and forces the links 28 and 52 downwardly, causing the rollers 20 and 44 to rotate within their respective housings 14 and 40.

By this operation, the rollers 20 and 44 will rotate and the edges 24 and 48, will engage the edges of the cap 33 forcing the same tightly against and rolling them under the edges 34 of the box or container.

After the rolled or crimped edge has been completed, the walking beam 4 is returned and the rollers 30 and 44 are returned to their original and open position by the action of the spring 32, and the links 28 and 52. At this point in the operation, the collar 30 contacts the shoulder formed by the increased diameter of the column 10, raising the head 12 and its associated mechanisms sufiiciently to clear the sealed container. Durmg this return of the rollers, the rubber tips 36 will frictionally engage the crimped edge of the box and its cover, and will remove the same from any possible contact with the head 12.

On completion of the sealing operation, the sealed box or container is removed and the filling and seallng cycle is repeated again.

We claim:

In a container-top sealing mechanism, a head havmg substantially the same horizontal shape as the said top, two sets of rollers supported externally by the said head and axially aligned with the edges thereof, one set of rollers having routed channels therein adapted to substantially contact the edges of the said head, the second set of rollers having angularly routed channels adapted to contact the corners of the said top, and means adapted to revolve the said rollers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 198,965 Bowie Jan. 8, 1878 699,843 Kenny May 13, 1902 964,926 Marshall et al. July 19, 1910 1,039,770 Malmquist Oct. 1, 1912 1,349,233 Stephenson Aug. 10, 1920 2,202,006 Hothersall May 28, 1940 2,258,611 Hothersall Oct. 14, 1941 2,324,501 Geist July 20, 1943 2,385,429 Underwood Sept. 25, 1945 2,542,255 McClellan Feb. 20, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 226,685 Germany Oct. 7, 1910 

